"ANR headphones typically use at least one microphone to detect unwanted ambient noise, and the headphone speaker produces soundwaves of reverse phase to destructively interfere with the unwanted sound."

They go on to explain that the company originally developed the tech for the US Air Force and US Army, before launching its first noise-cancelling headphones for consumers in 2000.

Beats founders Jimmy Iovine (first on left) and Dr Dre (second from right) are joining Apple in a $3bn takeover

The lawyers added that Beats had failed to license Bose's tech despite being informed that it was infringing its intellectual property.

"Bose's continued success depends in substantial part on its ability to establish, maintain, and protect its proprietary technology through enforcement of its patent rights," they state.

Beats' site markets its adaptive noise-cancelling feature as the ability to "put the world on mute" on the web pages of its Studio range of headphones.

The feature is fairly common among premium earbuds and headphones with JVC, Sennheiser, Sony and Harman Kardon among other companies to offer the facility.